Milford struggles to come together after Guaman trial

Sunday

Jun 22, 2014 at 12:02 AM

By Lindsay CorcoranDaily News Staff

MILFORD – Maureen Maloney could have been talking about Milford when she said following the trial of the Ecuadorean man who hit and killed her son that she lives in "two worlds."The two worlds in Milford, though, mark two very separate communities of people, between whom tensions have run high since the 2011 crash that killed Matthew Denice. Last month, Nicolas Guaman wasfound not guilty of second-degree murder, but guilty of manslaughter by motor vehicle and motor vehicle homicide while during under the influence of alcohol. He was sentenced to 12-14 years in prison.Nearly three years after the crash, while some of the initial hostility has ceased, the community has yet to heal and many feel it never will."I don’t think people have the mindset of ‘oh, he was convicted at trial, therefore it’s over,’" said Milford Police Chief Tom O’Loughlin. "To accept that is to then say it's resolved Matthew’s death."O’Loughlin said he sees the trial and conviction as "one chapter," but that he doubts the future chapters will lead to any resolution between the two groups of people.While some of the tension has subsided, O’Loughlin says he still receives reports from those within the community who work with the Ecuadorean residents of occasional instances of harassment, "mostly verbal.""While the level of intensity isn’t there…as far as the community goes and people’s relations, I think there’s still some concern there, no question," O’Loughlin said.Before the 2011 crash that killed Denice, upwards of 2,500 Ecuadoreans were reportedly living in Milford. Following the crash, those numbers dwindled, the chief said. He's unsure of how many reside in town today.Those who remain are becoming more organized and have formed the Ecuadorean Peoples of Milford with Virgilio Loga as their elected leader.Loga, who has been living in Milford since 2009 with his wife and 5-year-old daughter, said the Ecuadorean community has been trying to bridge the gap with members of the community."If all of us can build relationships, the town will win," Loga said. "We would like to understand the laws better and use the language better. We’d like to be able to be responsible members of the community."Loga said initially Ecuadoreans were "fearful" and felt "isolated and marginalized." He said while some of the fear has subsided, the isolation is still the same."There are people who don’t treat us as though we are members of the community, but rather that we are somehow a blemish," Loga said. "It’s our aspiration to live harmoniously with everyone. That is our own way in our country and that’s what we aspire to here."Loga said they’d be happy to perform the traditional Ecuadorean practice of "minga," community work projects, as a "demonstration of goodwill" toward the Milford community."If we felt more secure, we would invest ourselves more both economically and our energy," Loga said. "If we can build ties, we can work together to resolve issues."He commended the group Welcoming Milford, a community-based initiative that is associated with a statewide and national organization, with trying to help bring the two groups together."There had been a feeling in the air that this community could use healing and bridging (after the crash)," said Anne Berard, an employee at the Milford Public Library and member of Welcoming Milford. "Since the accident, there is a strong, vocal, visceral group that have been unkind to family and young kids."Berard said while she knows the conclusion of the trial may not change anything, she hopes it can bring some closure."The tragedy stands and it can’t be undone," Berard said. "I hope that hearing the guilty verdict would bring some sense of conclusion."Selectmen Chairman Dino DeBartolomeis said he thinks the Milford community can be more welcoming of the Ecuadoreans, but only those who are here legally."Milford has always been a diverse community, it’s a melting pot," DeBartolomeis said. "We appreciate all kinds of immigrants, but you want them to be legal, come here, work, assimilate and learn the language."DeBartolomeis said the best thing to do is be "vigilant" with those in the country illegally and focus on the kids."They’re innocent," DeBartolomeis said. "Hopefully, these kids will go through the school system, get educated and encourage their parents to do what’s right."Loga agreed that the children may be the best way to bridge the gap between the two communities."For many of our children, this is the only home they know," Loga said. "They’ll grow up to be the young people who shape this community."Contact Lindsay Corcoran at 508-634-7582 or lcorcoran@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @LacorcMDN.